Sir Ian McKellen said he “fell in love” with Johnny Depp after co-starring in Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol.
“He’s doing amazingly well,” McKellen told Variety Wednesday night at the New York premiere of “The Christophers.” “He was enthusiastic, funny, irreverent, serious, all at the same time. It was really a little love fest. I fell in love with him. He’s so kind to his fellow actors. There was a great atmosphere[on set].”
Depp will play Ebenezer Scrooge in the remake, marking his first major role in Hollywood in almost eight years. He last appeared in 2018’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but was dropped from the series after losing a defamation lawsuit against The Sun following accusations from ex-wife Amber Heard. After a US jury found in 2022 that both Mr Depp and Mr Heard had defamed each other.
Since then, Depp has appeared in international independent films such as “Minamata” and “Jeanne du Barry.” His next film, Day Drinker, directed by Marc Webb and starring Penélope Cruz, is scheduled for release later this year.
Ti West’s remake of Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol stars Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Trammell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present, and McKellen as Jacob Marley.
“It was only six days, but it was well worth it,” McKellen said. “I play the role of a ghost! (laughs)”
McKellen is currently promoting Steven Soderbergh’s dark comedy The Christophers, in which he co-stars Michaela Coel and James Corden. He plays a once-famous English painter whose estranged children hire a forger (Coel) to pose as his assistant and complete unfinished works to sell after his death.
“I never associated my life with his life, except that he got older, and I got older, too,” McKellen said. “The future is uncertain — but no, that’s for sure. I’m going to die. And that hangs over his life and his children’s expectations of what will happen when he dies. Will they inherit the paintings that sell, or not? I just had a ball.”
“Christopher’s” will be released nationwide on April 10th.
